Brazzaville transport: a Suzuki handed over to a Gozem driver
Brazzaville, Jan. 21 (ACI) — Congolese driver Jossy Batadingue, 39, the first winner of the V+ program created by the start-up Gozem, received a brand-new Suzuki vehicle on Jan. 20 in Brazzaville, according to the Agence Congolaise d’Information (ACI).
The handover, held in the capital, placed the spotlight on the practical realities of urban transport work and on new financing models being tested by private operators to help professional drivers access newer vehicles over time.
V+ program terms: four-year repayment and demanding work schedule
Speaking during the key handover ceremony, Batadingue described the vehicle as costing 14 million CFA francs, to be repaid over a four-year period. He linked eligibility to a strict performance requirement.
“To receive it under contract, you had to work for 90 days without rest from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. Today, I have become the owner of a beautiful car,” Batadingue said, visibly moved, during the ceremony (ACI).
His remarks captured both the emotional weight of the moment and the effort expected from participants, a combination that program promoters present as a pathway from day-to-day driving to longer-term professional stability.
Gozem V+ in Congo: turning “champions” into vehicle owners
According to the program’s initiators, the prize is intended to help the driver gain greater financial autonomy. They said the award recognizes performance and loyalty by the recipient (ACI).
Launched last year in the Republic of Congo, the V+ program aims to enable Gozem drivers—referred to within the company as “champions”—to become owners of their vehicles at the end of a defined period, the initiators said (ACI).
In a market where access to formal credit can be limited for many workers, such structured arrangements are presented as a way to match financing to measured activity, while also encouraging consistency in service delivery.
Urban mobility and economic impact: Gozem’s positioning in Congo
ACI reported that, through this program, Gozem strengthens its position as a transport leader in Congo while contributing to economic development by offering financing opportunities to its champions.
For observers of the local mobility sector, the combination of customer demand, competitive service expectations and vehicle costs makes ownership a decisive step for drivers. Programs like V+ are portrayed as one response to that challenge.
MTN Congo partnership: onboard Wi‑Fi to help passengers navigate
As part of implementation, Gozem received support from mobile operator MTN Congo. Each vehicle is equipped with a Wi‑Fi router, providing free connectivity to passengers, ACI said.
The stated goal is practical: help passengers better locate their destination, an added service that also reflects how transport platforms increasingly blend mobility and telecom solutions in daily city life.
Key ceremony figures: Raphaël Dana and CFAO Mobility Congo present
The award ceremony was chaired by Gozem co-founder Raphaël Dana, ACI reported. Several figures attended, including Lydienne Tasi, director of the CFAO Mobility Congo agency (ACI).
Their presence underlined the multi-actor nature of the initiative, linking a mobility start-up, a telecom partner and an automotive stakeholder around a driver-focused program centered on ownership and service quality.
What the first V+ award signals for drivers and the sector
For Batadingue, the Suzuki handover marks a personal milestone framed by the program as earned through sustained work. For the company, it serves as a public demonstration of how V+ is intended to function in practice.
Based on the information shared at the ceremony, the initiative is positioned as both an incentive and a structured route toward vehicle ownership for drivers, while the added connectivity service points to an increasingly integrated urban transport experience in Brazzaville (ACI).